E/CN.4/2000/65 page 15 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 51. There was an urgent appeal about the arrest of 13 members of the Jewish community, including rabbis and religious teachers, in the cities of Shiraz and Ispahan. They were reportedly accused of spying for Israel and the United States, whereas the real reason they were arrested was that they were Jewish. 52. The Islamic Republic of Iran replied that the suspects arrested for spying included both Christians and Muslims and that the investigation and the arrest had taken place without regard for their religious beliefs and were instead a matter of safeguarding national security. A communiqué from the Jewish community was also transmitted stating that, like every other religious minority, that community was well treated by the Islamic Republic of Iran and enjoyed the constitutional rights of citizenship and that the arrests and charges against certain Iranian Jews had nothing to do with their religion. Foreign press releases were also transmitted. 53. A second communication referred to allegations that the main organizer of the murders of Pastors T. Michaelian, M. Dibaj and H. Hovsepian (see the mission report on Iran, E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.2, paras. 79 to 85, and document E/CN.4/1995/91, paras. 63 to 65) was Said Emami, who reportedly worked for eight years in a high-level post in the Ministry of Security. This information was allegedly publicly disclosed by the Iranian press and by members of Parliament so that an investigation would be conducted. Iraq 54. The urgent appeal sent to Iraq concerned the assassination of Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeck al-Sadr and his two sons and the subsequent demonstrations by Shiites in the suburbs of Baghdad and in Kerbala and Nassiriya. This appeal also drew attention to allegations of repression by the armed forces (25 persons assassinated and 250 injured in Baghdad). 55. The Government of Iraq replied that it was committed to guaranteeing the freedom of its various communities and religions and the security of their national and religious symbols, in accordance with the rights and guarantees of the Constitution and national legislation. The guarantee of the security of all Iraqi citizens was the responsibility of the State and its people. The murder of Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeck al-Sadr was a great loss for Iraq, since he had been a great imam and an authority on Islam, devoted to education, prayer, national unity and the fight against forces hostile to Iraq. In particular, he had called for a jihad against the imperialist forces that were oppressing the Iraqi people by means of an economic blockade and air strikes. It was stated that those making accusations against Iraq without waiting for the results of the investigation under way were the same persons who had accused the Iraqi Government of imposing Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeck al-Sadr as a religious leader. Iraq asked how its Government can be accused of the murder of this dignitary when he had condemned the allies of the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who, styling themselves the “Iraqi opposition”, were seeking the financial support of the American Administration for the purpose of sowing discord in Iraq. The United States and its allies should be the subject of the accusations. The allegations of demonstrations and arrests were disputed. It was stated that Arab and foreign news services that had visited the areas concerned had reported that the situation was calm and normal. The results of the investigation under way would be communicated. The Special Rapporteur awaits them with interest.